I’m just about starting to feel like I am back in circulation now…feeling a bit more like myself!

Anyway, I was lying awake last night thinking about my trip to Russia and my mind turned towards Geoff Ryans books ‘Sowing Dragons’ and ‘Siren Call of a Dangerous God.’ So many stories in there that have challenged and inspired me over the last few years and then I realise to myself that I will probably be rubbing shoulders with the same people Geoff wrote about.

I’m not really sure what to expect. I know the Army has had some trouble getting re-esablished in Russia legally, but I doubt very much if that has hampered the spirit of the soldiers there. I hesitate to say that it will be a weekend of ‘authentic Army’, but there you go, I’ve said it. Salvationism that isn’t salvationism isn’t worth its salt. By that I mean that, actually, sometimes we are guilty of the old ‘how can salt which looses its saltiness be salty again’ syndrome. It’s one of those trips where you think ‘Oh…I better pack my flag!’

Sometimes though, for me, energy can be a factor in not being as salvationist as one could be! Certainly this last week, recovering from a very difficult week of ministry with the family last week, energy is not something I’ve had. There has to be time for rest and refreshing so that we can fight all the more.

Last week I stood in front of around 400 godless family and close friends and proclaimed that hope and salvation are only in Jesus. Now, some of my apologetic emergent friends would have avoided any form of confrontation or bold assertion. Thing is…when you have 400 people standing before you lost you want to be able to tell them how to be found…at least I do. I could, (and probably will) be in relationship with these people for a long long time…relationship is good…but in the last ten years ‘relationship’, although its been build and developed, hasn’t saved any of em yet. That is because it is not relationship that saves.

You will forgive me for being extreme, will you not? Lets hear your answers, was it a time for plattitudes, or was it an opportunity for the gospel?

Well, when you find after the service that people are starting to book you up for their funeral, I guess telling it straight worked OK!! My old great-uncle said to me ‘Andra…can ye dae anythin fur me old son? I’ve lived my life fur ma self and ma family but it won’t be long until a’ these folk will be drinkin’ a toast tae me.’

What do you say? So you say, ‘Don’t worry uncle Jimmy, it’ll turn out alright’ or do say ‘Well, uncle, this is a good step in our relationship that we can talk about this’ ? I can’t even think what the apologetic emergent would say in this situation…so far removed am I! Do you just say God loves you? Or what? Answers on a postcard please emergents.

You will imagine how I replied to him anyway.

Random collection of thoughts, admittedly, but it does all come back to what its about. This last week, and I am sure this weekend, will remind me that actually, we don’t always have the time to simply be nice and say God loves you. The world never has, and never will be won like that…sorry, but it won’t.

If you agree, you will feel inclined to shout ‘Blood and Fire’ and the top of our voice ;o)

yours
Andrew

HERE ARE MY RESULTS FROM THE ‘What is your theological worldview?’ Quiz.

You are an evangelical in the Wesleyan tradition. You believe that God’s grace enables you to choose to believe in him, even though you yourself are totally depraved. The gift of the Holy Spirit gives you assurance of your salvation, and he also enables you to live the life of obedience to which God has called us. You are influenced heavly by John Wesley and the Methodists.

Evangelical Holiness/Wesleyan 100%
Fundamentalist 86%
Charismatic/Pentecostal 75%
Reformed Evangelical 64%
Neo orthodox 57%
Emergent/Postmodern 39%
Classical Liberal 32%
Modern Liberal 14%
Roman Catholic 14%

What’s your theological worldview?created with QuizFarm.com

How can I possibly be more Weslyan/Holiness than Steve Court? Anyway….I could have predicted the results although i’d have put 2 and 3 round the other way…but hey..

yes, the rumours are true…I am still alive and living in the UK! Sorry for a period of absence…mainly due to holiday in Scotland but also because I had to return to Scotland to do my aunts funeral. The cancer finally won in the end…or did it?

I am off to Russia this weekend to attend the Commissioning of the Preparers of the Way. I am sure it will be a fantastic weekend…I’m looking forward to it now that its starting to register in my brain that I am actually going! It will be just what I need after these last two and a bit weeks.

I’ve got so many things to blog about…I may have time later!

So four of us from the corps went up to London for the Dynamic Prayer Conference at Holy Trinity Brompton…home of the Alpha Course. It was a really significant time for us as we shared on the day. The Holy Spirit was definetely active.

Several prophecies given to me, by people I don’t know, we re-assurances from God of the things that we know that are happening. Firstly, a lady shared that she felt that there were beautiful blooms starting to flourish, which she believed meant that renewal was coming to our corps and God was refreshing one bud at a time, which we had already noticed. Secondly, a man spoke prophetically into my life, sharing again that as I minister and bring blessing to others I’ll receive so much in return. This is what God showed me almost a year ago…that he would bring my own healing through ministerng to others.

The most striking vision that God gave me was certainly striking. This was something new and the weight of the revelation was physically draining. We were in a lower pary of the church, the crypt which they use for small group meetings, and there was a small window. God showed me a vision of everyone in that cramped little room trying to squeeze out the window to take a fresh vision of prayer and mission out to the world. Now people were very stressed and desperate as they tried to all squeeze through the window but release came when they just got out there. As I saw myself climing through the window I experienced physically in my body the tension and desperation, literally my whole body ceased up and shook. As I climbed through, I had an intense pain in my back, which I could feel physically, and God later revealed the importance of guarding my back from the attacks of the enemy….the only part of the body that Paul doesn’t cover with armour in Eph 6..maybe because it would be the work of the other soldiers to cover people’s backs in the Army and so we see that as a strong confirmation to build up our prayer base of support.

After this vision is was physically exhausted and for the rest of the day I could sense God’s Spirit moving.

So, yes, I reccommend the course heartily. I spoke right into our corps situation so very accurately and I pray that we will learn and remember the lessons God taught us.

yours in Jesus
Andrew

So, I surface from the depths of corps officership to say hello. So much I could say, so little time to say it.

I’m in one of those ‘give me an open field and let me run about shouting ‘hallelujah” modes at the moment. God has just been blessing me in a special way personally in spite of a few difficult things we’re dealing with just now. He’s been giving me special doses of wisdom to deal with stuff…could still do with more!

So, we’re on our road to gettin out a bit more…the corps that is. We had an open air AND an inpromptu march of witness last Sunday…this week we have a God float in the local fete/gala/carnival/rag whatever u want to call the thing. Will be a great opportunity to get out and be seen. Again, our visibility/spiritual warfare thing that we (well at least I) am concentrating on.

The first anniversary of our commissioning passed without me noticing! OOPS! I guess time flies when you’re having fun. Hardly seems a year at all…can’t believe it. I’ll resign (as in sign again, not give it up!!) my covenant at commissioning this year. Covenants are best when they are revisited. I re-read my soldiers covenant at least once a week – did I tell u that? Its a fundamental covenant to me. Actually, its a covenant that I’ve had to grow into becuase I certainly didn’t understand the extent of it when I signed it…partly because that the teaching might not have been wonderful, partly because I’m not sure I was mature enough to fully engage with it, but it has been a focus for me.

Anyway, if I were to sum up what my first year of ministry has been about, I’d say its what I it out to be (in my first sermon at the corps). If u don’t know what that was, sorry! Basically, focus on community, Holy Spirit renewal, forstering a passionate commitement to mision. Thats what we’ve preached…..the results? Some good, some could be better. We’ve seen some specific results…now we need to see them spread like bush fire.

Yeah, so, it is late at night (too late -long day – too much on mind) but thats just to bring u up to date. Hope it wasn’t too confusing.

anyway,
blessings

Andrew